aurora house foundation aurora house news
TRANSCRIPT
Volume 11 Issue 1
Aurora House News
Aurora House Foundation
5K Glow Paint Run 2
Memorials 3-4
Honorariums, Donations 4
In-Kind Donations
From a Grateful Family
5
News and Notes 6
Contact Information 6
Inside this issue:
Aurora House is blessed
this year by the generosity
of an anonymous donor who
has offered to match dona-
tions made during 2018.
What does that mean for
Aurora House?
Individuals who make a
personal donation to Aurora House will
have their donation matched 100% -
Aurora House will benefit twice as
much!
If the personal donation is tied to tick-
ets to a special event, the donation will
be matched at 50%.
Donations from businesses, clubs or trusts
will not be matched unless they are tied to
a special event and then they will be
matched at 50%.
Your donations will be put to good use to
maintain our home and help us provide
loving care for those in need. Be generous.
Dream Big with us!
Make Your Donation Count Dream Big
Summer 2018
Of Special Note
Since Inception June 21, 2007
• # of Patients and their Families
served: 834
• Age Range: 6wks—103
• Avg. Length of Stay: 35 Days
• # of Cities served: 20
Jan 2018—April 2018
• # of Volunteers: 113
• # of Volunteer Groups: 3
• # of Volunteer Hours: 917
Since 2010
• 2,059 students have received
training in Palliative Care,
Hospice and End of Life
Issues at Aurora House
Students - Students - Students! At Aurora House, we recognize the importance of education. Since 2010 we’ve opened
our doors to over 2,000 high school and college students from across the Valley
through our Aurora House Center for Palliative Care. The Center’s mission is to
prepare the current and future workforce with a better understanding of the emotion-
al, social, spiritual and physical needs of patients at the end of care. We, at Aurora
House, give many thanks to the students and their instructors, who have helped to
make this program successful. This past year:
• Students from South Texas College and Valley Baptist nursing schools came to
AH for complete clinical rotations.
• Students from UTRGV’s College of Social Work prepared and presented a Memo-
rial Service for patient families to honor their loved ones.
• Texas A&M RN-BSN students completed preceptorships.
• Valley Grande Institute students came for tours as part of their Gerontology
course.
• Med High students shadowed our caregivers.
• Many high school and college students came to Aurora House to learn about End
of Life Care issues and to complete volunteer hours.
This year our annual Walk-a-Thon
morphed into a Retro 80’s Themed
5K Glow Paint Run!
Over 300 participants (and those that
came just to cheer them on) got in on
the fun – whether it was visiting
Sponsor booths, taking crazy pictures
with the Rubik Cube; posing with ET
at the fun photo booth; or dancing the
pre-race Zumba. Whether you ran or
walked, it was a great family event!
T-shirts and swag bags went to all
who entered, and after the 5K we
turned on the black lights and partici-
pants lit up the park with fancy glow
paint, Thank you to all our sponsors
who made this such a successful
event!
Next year’s 5k event is already
scheduled: Mark your calendar NOW
for Feb. 23, 2019 at the Mayor Pablo
Peña Park. We can’t wait!
RGV ACO Health Providers, LLC
RGV Adult & Internal Medicine Spe-
cialists
Justice Raul A Gonzalez Elementary
Knapp Medical Center
Kindred Hospice
Donna Medical
Doctors Hospital at Renaissance
Hector G. Amaya MD PA
Extreme Nutrition
Allstate Hospice
A Healing Touch Hospice
Cima Hospice
Hollon Oil
Magic Valley Electric Co-Op
IBC Bank
Bee First Hospice
Gracia Hospice
Valley First Hospice
P.A.C.E. Health Care, Inc.
Texas Regional Bank
Rodeo Dental
Pumpd Nutrition
Complete Fitness
PAGE 2 AURORA HOUSE NEWS VOLUME 11 ISSUE 1
Let’s Run!
PRESENTING Sponsor
BIB Sponsor
DIAMOND Sponsors
GOLD Sponsors
SILVER Sponsors
BRONZE Sponsors
Dream Big!
You raised $17,906... and with the
amazing 50% matching donation
(see 1st page) our
TOTAL RAISED was $26.859!
PAGE 3 AURORA HOUSE NEWS VOLUME 11 ISSUE 1
Memorials
In Memory of
Issac Lee Mites
Michelle L. Kindermann
John & Cathy Barry
The Illinois Prairie Chapter of
the American Needlepoint
Guild, Inc. (ANG) c/o Carolyn
Hughes
Richard & Joan
Sathoff
Peoria Area Stitch-
ers' Guild c/o Cindy
Powell
Susan R. Sarver
Helen L. Miles
Nancy Sue Moody
Terry & Cindy Pow-
ell
In Memory of
Francis Richter
Mary Ann Richter
Kerkvliet
In Memory of
Barbara Baumhofer
John Baumhofer
In Memory of
Douglas Brundige
Ms. Mary Ann Brundige
In Memory of
Nancy Rosier
Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Birtles
In Memory of
Jane McDowell
Sondra & Jim Plowman
In Memory of
Ester Irene Hirsch
Sondra & Jim Plowman
In Memory of
Dr. Ashley McAllen
Melissa K. Beckwith
In Memory of
Ervin Gaye
Melissa K. Beckwith
In Memory of
John Allen Ward
Melissa K. Beckwith
In Memory of
Rolando Martinez
Maria M. Martinez
In Memory of
Linda Todd
Enrique & Leticia
Garza
In Memory of
Shirley Capps
Peggy Flynn
In Memory of
Armandina Ledesma
Julio Cesar Ledesma
In Memory of
Tom Maurer
Nancy C. La Duke
In Memory of
Bill Quellhorst
Mr. & Mrs. Alfred F. Dirks
In Memory of
Arthur Udall Strickland, Sr.
Mr. & Mrs. Alfred F. Dirks
In Memory of
Chad Sadaj
Ms. Joann Streiff
In Memory of
Mary (Meyers) Tompkins
Alfredo & Velma Dirks
Nancy C. La Duke
In Memory of
Victoria Silva
Yolanda Caldwell
In Memory of
Hilda Garcia Margarita
Franco Gwendolyn Susce
Jacqueline Susce
Sandra L. Mask
In Memory of
Judith German
Lyle B. German
In Memory of
lvan Weaver
Benton & Melissa Beckwith
In Memory of
Charles Chenault
Benton & Melissa Beckwith
In Memory of
Randy Petch
Benton & Melissa Beckwith
In Memory of
Joaquin Ellis
Benton & Melissa Beckwith
In Memory of
Lynda Todd
Benton & Melissa Beckwith
Memorials January - April 2018
PAGE 4 AURORA HOUSE NEWS VOLUME 11 ISSUE 1
Honorariums, Donations January - April 2018
Honorariums
In Honor of
Carolyne Bauer
Carolyne Bauer & Family
In Honor of
Edelmiro Uresti
Criselda & Jorge Uresti
In Honor of
Teran
Melissa Milton
In Honor of
Marlynda
Trucia Howard
In Honor of
Robert Scott
Donald & Fay Ernst
Robert & Esther
Scott
In Honor of
Victoria Silvia
Yolanda Caldwell
In Honor of
Gwendolyn Susce
Jacqueline Susce
In Honor of
Olga Kochert
Marianne & Oscar Madrigal
Elmer Kochert
Donations
ADL Services, Incorporated
Alan & Linda Snyders
Andy & Pam Scott
Anthony Ryan Vaughan
Beverly M Madden
Catholic Daughters of the Ameri-
cas Court Divine Mercy # 2420
Country Sunshine RV Park
Country Sunshine RV Parks c/o
Lorine Ryks
Dr. Rafael Rodriguez
Dr. Ricardo Abreu
First Baptist Church The Gladen
Class
First Christian Church (Disciples of
Christ)
First United Methodist Church/
Weslaco
Harbor Hospice Foundation, Inc
Jacqueline Rose Galloway
Kathryn L. Ratliff
Lambda Iota of ESA
Life Giving Outreach Ministries, Inc
DBA Crossroads Community
Church
Literary Review Club (Deborah
Zurlo, Treasurer)
Llano Grande Lake Park Church
Llano Grande Lake Park Church
(Jim Rudd)
Donations (cont.)
Llano Grande Lake Park Church
c/o Kay
Love of Christ Lutheran Church
Magda E. Escandon
Mid Valley Senior Softball c/o
Darryl W. Mackenzie
Ms. Elizabeth C. Eckles
Ms. Patricia A. Long
Network For Good (Facebook
Donors)
New Life Baptist Church/
Weslaco
Paradise South Church & RV Park
Paradise South Church
c/o Dixi South
Rachel Cuellar
Ranchero Village c/o Patti
Grebin
Renee A. Zachman
Rio Valley Estate Worship
Robert & Esther Scott
Ronald Motsay
Sandi Nortin
School of Vocational
Nursing
Siesta Village Worship
Hour
South Texas Electric Coop-
erative, INC
Southern Comfort Park
Southern Comfort Park (Sandi &
David Norlin)
SPEC'S Family Partners, LTD
Texas Oncology Foundation Inc.
Traits End RV Resort-Church
United Hospice Care Services,
LLC
UTRGV (Students) Aurora
House Memorial Service
Valley Baptist Medical Center
W. C. Ross
Weslaco Elks Lodge 2057
Weslaco Lions Club
Dream Big in 2018 Thank you, each donation is
so appreciated!
And remember, individuals
who make a personal
donation to Aurora House through
Memorials, Honorariums and Donations
will have those amounts matched 100%
by our generous anonymous donor.
Aurora House benefits twice as much.
In-Kind Donations January - April 2018
PAGE 5 AURORA HOUSE NEWS VOLUME 11 ISSUE 1
In-Kind Donations
Weslaco Lions Club
Llano Grande RV Park
Southern Comfort RV Resort
Elizabeth Valdez
Juanita Cantu (Weslaco Area Schools)
Quiet Village # 2 (Janet Carrols)
Robert Klase
Lutheran Church
Pharmerica
Eleanor Scheider
Kevan Soderdebrg
Larry Blegen
Ranchero Village Canada Day
BSA Troop 100 St. Pius X
Trails End Club (Peggy Hulteen)
Linda Ortega
Mrs. Ortega
Lupe Ortega
Jennifer Troupe
Robert Garza
First Baptist Church of La Feria
RGV Partnership
Los Ebanos Study Club
Southern Comfort RV Park and Marble
Clinic
Jennifer Rektorik
Patrick Gonzalez
Gragg Hart
Trails End RV Park (Ms. Rita and Mr.
Dan)
Dr. Amaya
Southern Comfort (Carol Hicks)
Southern Comfort (Sandy & David)
Trails Ends RV Park (Rita & Dan)
St. Pius X Church (Laura Gracia)
Rich Rodriguez
Leslie Maya (Social Worker)
Patricia Klase
Elsa Study Club
Visalam Subram
Rotary Club (Haydon Ellis)
Vangie Garza
Trails Ends RV Park (Terry and Judy)
Nancy Pierce
Paula Cano
Mary Lou Cavazos
Greg Scott
Elmer Kochert
Daughter of Maria Palacios
Helen Miles
St. Pius X Catholic Church
Grace Episcopal Church
Clemencia Cardoza
Mid Valley Senior Softball
Trails End RV Park
Donna Lions Club
Maribel Esqueda
Rita Strickland
Alma Garza
Siesta Village
First Baptist Church
Elisa Cisneros
Ranchero Village
Melanie Jackson
Velma Granados
Eliza Cisneros
Knights of Columbus
United Health
Country Sunshine RV Park
Sandi Norlin
Ruth Wuelner
Yolanda Caldwell
Mayor Rick Morales
Joyce Rich
June Ramirez (The Antique Emporium)
Kathleen Ratliff
Miracle Medical
Americo De La Paz
Tisha Bauer
Living Word Church
Jose Rios
Beverly Buechele
Magic Valley Electric Coop
A. N. Tony Rico Elementary Students
Maria V. Zepeda
Bonnie
Rios Family
The House of Miracles (paraphrased)
Our dad was diagnosed with severe brain trauma when
he fell off his bicycle and hit his head. After multiple
painful and unsuccessful procedures he decided to stop
all treatments. A good friend suggested we check out Au-
rora House because their son had a good experience there
9 years ago.
We believe, as a result of several miracles which hap-
pened at Aurora House, our family was blessed with at
least three more months with Dad. With their wonderful
care he became stronger and was even able to celebrate
his 90th birthday surrounded by many friends at AH.
All my life I have desired a close emotional relationship
with my father. We were able to focus more on living each
day to the fullest and treasuring our time together. I chal-
lenge everyone to invest your time, prayers, or money at
Aurora House. I believe you will, in some way, receive
more than you give.
Thank you from the
entire Scott family.
Footnote from Judy:
Throughout Mr. Scott’s stay at Aurora House, we witnessed
significant healing… physically, spiritually and emotionally. The
family grew closer, and the patient’s wife grew stronger as well.
The family was joyful that they were able to make the trip back
to Iowa, however Mr. Scott succumbed 2 weeks later. The Scott
family credits Aurora House with giving them the gift of addition-
al time with their dad/husband. We, at Aurora House, credit the
entire Scott family with sharing with us the gifts of hope and love.
From a Grateful Family
Aurora House Aurora House
Mitty Reyna, President
Mark McCaleb, Vice President
Trainor Evans, Treasurer
Melissa Beckwith, Secretary
Mindy Lasater
Dan Martin
Yoli Salinas
Dr. Rafael Rodriguez
Jennifer Rektorik
Erin Soliz
Board Advisor: Richard Barr
2646 W. 18th St.
P.O. Box 976
Weslaco, TX 78599
AURORA HOUSE FOUNDATION
(956) 973-9690
(956) 973-9705 fax
Email: [email protected]
Aurora House
Executive Director...……………………………..………Judy Pariser, RN
Administrative Assistant ………………………...…........Diana Gonzalez
Supervisor/Caregivers……………………………………...Araceli Cantu
Caregivers: Becky Contreras, Jessica Coy, Alma Garza, Lorina Molina,
Mary Ramos
Supervisor/House and Grounds……………..……Nelly (Noelia) Cantu
Newsletter ………..……………….................................................Lynn Carter
A Note from the Executive Director
Allow me to introduce myself – I am Judy Pariser, the
new Executive Director of Aurora House Foundation.
I came to the Valley one year ago from
Las Vegas. Originally from Ohio, my
year in the Valley has shown me that
home truly is where the heart is, and
my heart is right here, in the Valley!
After a 20+ year career in marketing
and sales management, I went back to
school to became a registered nurse,
focusing on End of Life. I was a Hospice Nurse Case
Manager for 6 years and was hired as Director of Edu-
cation (DOE) for Aurora House last May
As DOE, I've had the good fortune to impact patients
and their families and ensure that the next genera-
tions of medical and medically affiliated professionals
develop end of life competence as they experience hos-
pice and palliative care first-hand. Our goal is to pro-
vide students with an opportunity to practice new
skills with compassion for those approaching the end
of life, and take these skills with them as they pursue
their new careers.
As I transition into the position of Executive Director, I
am excited to help Aurora House grow and develop new
programs which will impact both our department of edu-
cation and our caregiving house. I look forward to ensur-
ing that Aurora House stands on a strong foundation, so
that we continue to be of service to those in need, and re-
main a beacon of support in this wonderful community.
Aurora House could not exist without the amazing sup-
port we receive from our supporters and volunteers. We
are truly blessed to benefit from the love and generosity of
our community, giving us the opportunity to uphold our
mission - to provide compassionate end of life care.
Judy
News and Notes
www.AuroraHouse.org
Aurora House recognizes dying as part of the normal process of
living and focuses on respect and compassion in preparation for
death. Its mission is to provide care for persons in the last phase
of incurable disease, so they can approach death with dignity,
comfort and peace.
Aurora House Foundation
2018 Board of Directors
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Celebration of Thanks Holiday Event…..Nov. 15, 2018
5K 80’s Retro Glow Run…Pablo Pena Park, Feb. 23, 2019
Administrative Professionals Luncheon…....Apr. 24, 2019